After getting a mortgage, what do we do next?

thor

I have just had a chat with my bank and it looks like I will be applying for a mortgage in the next few days ahead.
The house we want to buy is being sold directly by the owner(i.e. no estate agents involved).
In this situation I was wondering what to do after the mortgage is approved. Do I go to a solicitor and leave it all to them? Will they carry out and conclude the buying process without no further input on my part? Ia there anything the seller has to do?
Even though I have obtained mortgage and bought a house previously, that was some time ago and an estate agent was involved then so I am a bit hazy about the details in this situation.

worried_jim

Just instruct a solicitor to purchase the house for you. The mortgage company should arrange the survey if required and the solicitor will do the rest. Job done.

Yorkie1

+1

I was in exactly your position. Get quotes from 2 or 3 solicitors, check the detail of the quotes or you might find a few surprises which you hadn't initially spotted.

After instructing the solicitor, I provided the necessary information when the solicitor asked for it, checked the documents which were sent through e.g. search results, lists of fixtures / fittings left by the vendor, any terms restricting the use of the land - and made sure I raised any queries which didn't tie up properly with my understanding of the property or the sale. Make sure you've got your deposit lined up in good time, and try not to stress too much!

When the mortgage is applied for, you can either ask the mortgage company's surveyor to also do a survey for you too at the same time, or you can instruct an independent surveyor to do one for you. I think most people go with the mortgage company's surveyor for less hassle.

G_M

Do I go to a solicitor and leave it all to them? Will they carry out and conclude the buying process without no further input on my part?

NO! You are buying the property, it's a huge investment so make sure you understand/are happy with everything about the property.

Some of this, the solicitor will check/advise you on/request your approval (the legal stuff). But he never sees the house so, for example, won't know there's an extension at the back so won't know to ask about Planning Permission unless you tell him.

The condition of the property is down to you, or a surveyor if you choose to use one.

But a lot of stuff you can only find out yourself. Will you have the neighbours from hell? Only you can find out! What's it like at night when the local pub closes? Or when the local 'yooves' are hanging out outside in the evening? Is Tesco opening a superstore opposite (official searches only reveal planning applications in the immediate surround but talking to Planners will reveal much more)?

etc etc

thor

G_M wrote: »

NO! You are buying the property, it's a huge investment so make sure you understand/are happy with everything about the property.

Some of this, the solicitor will check/advise you on/request your approval (the legal stuff). But he never sees the house so, for example, won't know there's an extension at the back so won't know to ask about Planning Permission unless you tell him.

The condition of the property is down to you, or a surveyor if you choose to use one.

But a lot of stuff you can only find out yourself. Will you have the neighbours from hell? Only you can find out! What's it like at night when the local pub closes? Or when the local 'yooves' are hanging out outside in the evening? Is Tesco opening a superstore opposite (official searches only reveal planning applications in the immediate surround but talking to Planners will reveal much more)?

etc etc

Luckily most of the non-solicitor stuff you have listed will be ok as I am intending to buy the house next door.
So it sounds like after getting the mortgage, I need only to find a solicitor and leavimg it in their hands to deal with all the legalities.
What about the seller? Won't they need to get a solicitor who would have to deal with our solicitors?

Yorkie1

Yes the seller will get a solicitor who will deal with your solicitor.

But as G_M said, don't just leave the solicitor to get on with it. Make sure you read everything really carefully because otherwise unexpected things might just come back to bite you afterwards.

G_M

Yorkie1 wrote: »

Yes the seller will get a solicitor who will deal with your solicitor.

....

Errr ... usually! I don't always! The seller might do the conveyancing himself.

Yorkie1

Very true (I was sticking to the usual!)

NeverAgain_2

You may find you need to chivvy your solicitor along a little bit, some transactions can drift if you don't keep on top of things.

G_M

NeverAgain wrote: »

You may find you need to chivvy your solicitor along a little bit, some transactions can drift if you don't keep on top of things.

Strangely I find that never happens when I do my own conveyancing!

Yorkie1

G_M wrote: »

Strangely I find that never happens when I do my own conveyancing!

I've always found the contortions involved in kicking oneself up the derriere quite hard! :rotfl: